Part of MathsRounding and estimatingYear 3Year 4
You can use estimation to get a rough idea of a calculation. Round the numbers to make it easier.
Then do the calculation. If it's really different to the estimation, a mistake has been made.
Try re-doing the calculation or use a different method to find the answer.
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You're going to jump off a platform as high as the number of people in the audience multiplied by your own height?
Wow, how high is that?
Er, 2567 metres鈥 that seems pretty high!
You could use estimation to get an approximate answer and double check that you got it right.
You can estimate by rounding the numbers.
1.51 times 198 - that's pretty close to 1.5 times 200鈥
鈥hich is one and half times 200 and that's only 300 metres.
That's nowhere near 2567 metres!
If only you'd used estimation, you'd have noticed the problem!
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Find out more by working through a topic
How to round numbers
Rounding decimals to one place
Rounding numbers in the millions
The number line to 10,000